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estewanii's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Redefines the post-modern era, a story of humanity's struggle with peace and harmony, and their hunger for power and hubris. Ultimately, if we had been given a new slate in life, how would we live? Think? And would the history of our ruin repeat itself?
It's not a kind book; it's weary, cynical, and violent. But all the same it cherishes and preaches the good of people and their place in the world. A wonderful read.
It's not a kind book; it's weary, cynical, and violent. But all the same it cherishes and preaches the good of people and their place in the world. A wonderful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Slavery, Torture, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Deadnaming and Panic attacks/disorders
netthauser's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Violence
aardwyrm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A lot of the prose is very evocative and the worldbuilding is lovely both in the fantastical and sociopolitical realms. That gets the book a pass. But it's a complete failure in terms of both plot and character. The story lurches along at an erratic, stuttering pace, with things happening more or less at random. The main character is a blank space, the J. Alfred Prufrock of the apocalypse. I am not a purist when it comes to reactive protagonists; sometimes that's the story you're telling. But Ven doesn't seek or react, doesn't seem to want or believe anything. It preserves a sort of artificial suspense, since his absolute lack of a character means anything he does (to serve whatever the plot needs next, with no other apparent motives) is unpredictable. George (sp? I had an audiobook) is almost interesting as an antagonist sometimes, but the story seems convinced he is a supernaturally charismatic mastermind and not a creepy little libertarian dudebro. The great secret reveals all fall flat because the characters are all cardboard cutouts being marched along zigzagging little tracks. (Also, Ven and George's only actual interests seem to be in each other, and the most natural read of the book is about two ineffective philosophy majors who have the hots for each other and do a war about it.)
There's a tradition of apocalyptic novels in particular that are all about ideas. This is not something to strive for, but fine. (There is also a tradition of litfic writers deciding to tackle spec fic stories and doing it with amateurish foolishness.) But as a novel of ideas, it fails, too. The good side asks nothing of people but that they live comfortable middle class lives with some roommates and a largely vegetarian diet. The bad side cackles and makes speeches about how they want to destroy all of nature because their dad was a bad parent. I am barely paraphrasing. If you want a war of philosophies, a villain who seems to know he is a satire of alt right wannabe demagogues isn't exactly a bold statement. Nothing bold or interesting ever happens with the questions of gender, society, religion, and roles within it; it's all just sorta thrown at the wall.And the conclusion "this character is complex because they did a war crime and are sad about it" never really works, does it? Certainly not twice.
There's a good book in here, I think. A complete rewrite to focus on the world (multiple POVs would be good here) and a ruthless editor to take out all the badly written extended action scenes that go nowhere and the pointless tense changes would do it.
There's a tradition of apocalyptic novels in particular that are all about ideas. This is not something to strive for, but fine. (There is also a tradition of litfic writers deciding to tackle spec fic stories and doing it with amateurish foolishness.) But as a novel of ideas, it fails, too. The good side asks nothing of people but that they live comfortable middle class lives with some roommates and a largely vegetarian diet. The bad side cackles and makes speeches about how they want to destroy all of nature because their dad was a bad parent. I am barely paraphrasing. If you want a war of philosophies, a villain who seems to know he is a satire of alt right wannabe demagogues isn't exactly a bold statement. Nothing bold or interesting ever happens with the questions of gender, society, religion, and roles within it; it's all just sorta thrown at the wall.
There's a good book in here, I think. A complete rewrite to focus on the world (multiple POVs would be good here) and a ruthless editor to take out all the badly written extended action scenes that go nowhere and the pointless tense changes would do it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Gaslighting, Child death, Toxic friendship, and War
sherbertwells's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
In a post-climate crisis future, a former holy man and scribe searches for a spy that threatens to reawaken environmental gods. Basically a version of A Canticle for Leibowitz where blowing things up solves problems, which kind of destroys the point.
“The kakuy never slept, warns the pious Medj of the south. The wind and the ocean never cease, and the earth is patient. Tread lightly, my bretheren. Do not shake the world too particularly when you pass.
No one I met in Vien had ever seen the kakuy.
Some said they weren’t even real” (40)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, War, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Religious bigotry, Murder, Mental illness, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Blood
Minor: Transphobia and Sexual content
sorryiambooked's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Was really unsure how to rate this one .. I think 3.5 is more what I would rate it. I really enjoyed this one, but didn't love it. If you enjoy eco-fiction/eco-thriller types books and are okay with a slower paced read, I think this is still worth a read! It's just definitely not for everyone.
I went into this book not really knowing what I was going to get plot-wise. The blurb is short and mostly vague. The problem is that I wasn't sure where the plot was going most of the time which led to me being slightly getting lost a couple times.
While I love North's writing and her creation of this different type of dystopia and the characters, I thought it was maybe a tad long? A lot happens seems to happen in the first 25-30% of the book, slowed in the middle, and then picked up around the 70% mark.
I did love North's underlying message of the importance of taking care of our home, Earth, and not putting profit and power above that or others' health and safety.
Part dystopia, part commentary on our current world, part tale of espionage .. and it all comes together to work quite well.
I went into this book not really knowing what I was going to get plot-wise. The blurb is short and mostly vague. The problem is that I wasn't sure where the plot was going most of the time which led to me being slightly getting lost a couple times.
While I love North's writing and her creation of this different type of dystopia and the characters, I thought it was maybe a tad long? A lot happens seems to happen in the first 25-30% of the book, slowed in the middle, and then picked up around the 70% mark.
I did love North's underlying message of the importance of taking care of our home, Earth, and not putting profit and power above that or others' health and safety.
Part dystopia, part commentary on our current world, part tale of espionage .. and it all comes together to work quite well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Physical abuse, and War
Minor: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence
kylieqrada's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My 2nd 5 star from Claire North... It's the social commentary with a speculative twist for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Torture, War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence
onthesamepage's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What makes this book so interesting is that, even though it is technically a dystopian novel, there's a lot more underneath the surface. It's just something you discover slowly.
At first glance, the setup seems pretty simple. Ven was once a priest of the Temple, asked to translate documents from the Burning Age, the age where monsters called the kakuy destroyed most of humankind after humankind destroyed most of the earth. Dangerous documents from that time that describe things like bombs, for example, are heresy, and must be archived and hidden away. When the Brotherhood, a group that believes that the Temple has too much power and that the kakuy have disappeared, approaches Ven so he can translate for them, he doesn't have much of a choice. Georg, their leader, has made it clear what will happen to him if he refuses. Once he starts, he quickly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous political game between people who want to return to the old, destructive ways, and people who want to honor the earth and pacify the kakuy.
This is the start of a story that draws from many different genres and influences to become something unique, but also a somewhat difficult read. North has a way with words, and there were parts of this that I went back to read a second time because I was struck by a particular turn of phrase. But the book has not entirely earned its length. From the very beginning, there is too much focus on describing every detail of the setting, which becomes tiresome very quickly. Page after page of descriptions of the looks, smells and vibe of a city, complete with run-on sentences. It makes this a very dense book and definitely took away from my overall enjoyment.
But underneath that, there is a fascinating story. It has political intrigue, a whodunit element related to spies, war and history, and at the centre of it are two fascinating characters. Georg and Ven continue to circle each other, mostly sure of their purpose in this world, both trying to convince the other of a theological standpoint. I genuinely enjoyed all their interactions and was eager to see what the next one would bring. I didn't feel much of a connection to any of the characters, but I didn't necessarily mind it in this case. Despite the first person POV, it does feel as if we are held at a distance from the events that are unfolding, forced into the role of an observer. Part of this is because Ven himself does a lot of observing throughout the book. He keeps much of his emotion in check, which impacts me as a reader, and makes the choice of POV an interesting one.
If you have the patience for it, I definitely think this boo
What makes this book so interesting is that, even though it is technically a dystopian novel, there's a lot more underneath the surface. It's just something you discover slowly.
At first glance, the setup seems pretty simple. Ven was once a priest of the Temple, asked to translate documents from the Burning Age, the age where monsters called the kakuy destroyed most of humankind after humankind destroyed most of the earth. Dangerous documents from that time that describe things like bombs, for example, are heresy, and must be archived and hidden away. When the Brotherhood, a group that believes that the Temple has too much power and that the kakuy have disappeared, approaches Ven so he can translate for them, he doesn't have much of a choice. Georg, their leader, has made it clear what will happen to him if he refuses. Once he starts, he quickly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous political game between people who want to return to the old, destructive ways, and people who want to honor the earth and pacify the kakuy.
This is the start of a story that draws from many different genres and influences to become something unique, but also a somewhat difficult read. North has a way with words, and there were parts of this that I went back to read a second time because I was struck by a particular turn of phrase. But the book has not entirely earned its length. From the very beginning, there is too much focus on describing every detail of the setting, which becomes tiresome very quickly. Page after page of descriptions of the looks, smells and vibe of a city, complete with run-on sentences. It makes this a very dense book and definitely took away from my overall enjoyment.
But underneath that, there is a fascinating story. It has political intrigue, a whodunit element related to spies, war and history, and at the centre of it are two fascinating characters. Georg and Ven continue to circle each other, mostly sure of their purpose in this world, both trying to convince the other of a theological standpoint. I genuinely enjoyed all their interactions and was eager to see what the next one would bring. I didn't feel much of a connection to any of the characters, but I didn't necessarily mind it in this case. Despite the first person POV, it does feel as if we are held at a distance from the events that are unfolding, forced into the role of an observer. Part of this is because Ven himself does a lot of observing throughout the book. He keeps much of his emotion in check, which impacts me as a reader, and makes the choice of POV an interesting one.
If you have the patience for it, I definitely think this boo
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Torture
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